


Day Nineteen: Sleep Deprivation

by OBlossom



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [19]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awesome James "Rhodey" Rhodes, FebuWhump2021, Hurt/Comfort, IronDad and SpiderSon, POV Pepper Potts, Pepper Potts Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Sleep Deprivation, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:42:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29575542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OBlossom/pseuds/OBlossom
Summary: Rhodey sounded understanding, so she allowed herself to take a quick breath after letting him go and then rushed back into Tony’s room. She just needed to collect her briefcase, head back to work, and get the day back on track.She came up short, however, when she caught a glimpse of Tony’s wound— exposed to her for the first time.It definitely wasn’t what she’d been expecting and it took that realization for the room to spin, tilt, and then disappear from around her.She was out before she hit the floor.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138958
Kudos: 29
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Day Nineteen: Sleep Deprivation

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy.
> 
> -Colleen xo

Day 19: sleep deprivation

To do:

1\. Call Queen Ramonda re: tech sharing program @515am  
2\. Q.R. Also discuss: Everett Ross (is he there?)  
3\. Call Dickhead Ross re: SHIELD coverage @ Raft @ 7am  
4\. **Tony- wound check/ Nano eval!!**  
5\. Call U.N. re: Status of Accords @ 9am  
6\. + U.N. re: securing Thor’s (?) ship  
7\. + U.N. re: Asgardians status  
8\. + U.N. re: Nebula status  
9\. Call Parker landlord re: lease/furniture storage  
10\. Book tech for press conference #3 BEFORE 10am  
11\. Check on Barton situation ???  
12\. Board meeting @ 11am  
13\. Call R&D re: $$/Parker Foundation?  
14\. Call WHO re: vaccination program status @ 1245pm  
15\. +WHO re: *food supply interruptions  
16\. Call President re: *food supply interruptions @230pm  
17\. + Prez re: Nebula status  
18\. Call Housekeeping re: Nebula quarters

Pepper pressed her fingers to her eyes before trying to focus AGAIN on her list. The dimmed lights of the med bay and the sounds of the monitors attached to her husband made it almost impossible.

She thought back to four days ago—had it really been only four days? 

When Tony had come down that ramp, it was like Afghanistan all over again—until she saw the desperation and grief on his face. And then he’d collapsed and everything was a flurry of activity. 

She’d found out later from Nebula that the nanoparticles had served their purpose back on Titan. The wound had been sealed, but the infection had already taken root and was festering within him. With the malnourishment and dehydration on top of that, it was no wonder Tony was doing so poorly. The IVs chock full of antibiotics, nutrients, sedatives, and all of the medications to prevent his blood pressure from rising and his kidneys and liver from failing hung from hooks at the head of the bed. The nasogastric tube would be a fixture for a bit, she knew. Tony would hate it when he woke up, but she’d put him straight and they’d keep going. The monitors, though, she took comfort in. She could see that his heart was beating; that air was flowing through is lungs—that he was alive and fighting. 

She shook those thoughts away, because it was four days later and there were things to do. She was supposed to be on the other side of the compound, preparing for a phone call with the U.N. (See item #4) but Tony’s doctor would be here shortly to do a wound check (See item #3) and evaluate a few other nanoparticle related things that Tony would drool over, but, well... Pepper wasn’t worried about nanotech, she was worried about Tony. If things went well today, they would hopefully reduce some of the medications he was on so they could start waking him up. That decision, of course, depended mostly on the inflammation around the original site and some blood work results from last night. 

Pepper prayed they’d agree to starting to wake him up today. She missed her fiancé so, so much. She took a moment to put her list back into her briefcase and settle back into the chair by his bedside. She took his thin hand in her own. “What do ya’ say, Tony? Is today going to be the day I get to see those Bambi-eyes of yours?”

Of course, he didn’t answer.

“Pepper?”

She jumped, throwing her hands to her chest, in an effort to calm her racing heart. “Oh!”

Dr. Cho was apologetic as she came further into the room. “I am so sorry, Pepper. I thought you heard me when I came in!” 

Pepper waved the apology off with a laugh, “No! I’m sorry! I must have been daydreaming,” She said as she continued to wait for her heart to settle... it seemed though, that it didn’t want to.

Dr. Cho smiled at her sympathetically. “No one could blame you, Pepper. You look dead on your feet.” Then, as though only seeing her for the first time, Dr. Cho asked her, “How are you doing? I mean really, how are you doing?”

She laughed again, trying to sound okay, “I’m doing fine, thank you. I’m just trying to salvage what’s left of the world while Sleeping Beauty here keeps us all waiting.” 

“Ouch. No Prince Charming for our Mr. Stark, I see?” Dr. Cho teased back as she began her assessment on the man.

Pepper shook her head. “Oh, no,” she stood up from her seat, “Leave it to the amazing Ms. Pepper Potts to save the world—one board meeting at time, thank you very much!” And she gave a mock final bow and stepped away from the bed. 

Pepper looked up from her brief performance and saw how close she was to some of Tony’s equipment. Embarrassed, she stepped further away from the bed. “I’m sorry. I’m taking up the room you need.” 

Dr. Cho shook her head. “You’re fine, Pepper. If I need room, I’ll ask.” 

Pepper was sure she was about to ask another question when a knock on the door interrupted her. 

The doctor smiled at the new addition to the room. “Dr. Rainert, I’m so glad you could come. Dr. Rainert,” she nodded to the man then gestured to Pepper. “I’d like to introduce you to Ms. Pepper Potts, Mr. Stark’s fiancée.”

Dr. Rainert gave a polite bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he announced and then got right down to business. “I am assuming you know why I’m here?”

Pepper nodded. “Of course, while Dr. Cho will be doing the actual wound check, you’ll be evaluating the affect of the nanoparticles on healing, scarring, and such, correct?”

He nodded to confirm. “I know it’s a stressful time for you, Ms. Potts, but Mr. Stark and I had been quite excited to see how this worked in a field setting and,” he seemed to be struggling to contain his enthusiasm even as his research partner lay unconscious in the bed beside him. “Well, this information will be most helpful going forward.”

It all felt a little ghoulish to her, but she wasn’t going to say it. She was there to support her fiancé and make sure he was getting better. Then she’d...

A buzz filled the room. It took Pepper a second the figure out that it was her cell phone. Blushing at the obvious faux-pas, she blurted a hurried apology, grabbed her phone and dashed out into the hall.

“Pepper Potts speaking,” she answered, fumbling with the phone before pressing it firmly to her ear.

“Pepper? It’s James.”

She cringed. ‘James’ meant that Rhodey was currently surrounded by mucky-mucks, which was strange because that call didn’t need to be made until, she glance at her watch, “Rhodey! It’s 9:30!”

“I know!” he exclaimed. “I was worried something was wrong with Tony when you didn’t call in. Is everything alright?”

Pepper lost herself for a second. She never lost track of time! Never!

“Pepper?”

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” She came back to herself and panicked. “Please extend apologies for my lateness to the others. I’ll grab my briefcase from the other room and head to my office, okay? I shouldn’t be more than five minutes. Promise!”

Rhodey sounded understanding, so she allowed herself to take a quick breath after letting him go and then rushed back into Tony’s room. She just needed to collect her briefcase, head back to work, and get the day back on track.

She came up short, however, when she caught a glimpse of Tony’s wound— exposed to her for the first time.

It definitely wasn’t what she’d been expecting and it took that realization for the room to spin, tilt, and then disappear from around her.

She was out before she hit the floor.

* * * * * *

Pepper woke with a start, and a headache. 

“Pepper?”

Confused, she scanned the room, only barely relaxing when Rhodey stepped up to her bedside.

“Hey, Pepper, are you with me now?” 

She nodded, but still didn’t understand, “What...?” her voice cracked so she cleared it and tried again. “What happened?”

He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, “You, Ms. Potts, fainted.”

Pepper glared at him, “I did not...” She coughed from the dryness of her throat. 

“Hang on, Pep. Let me just...” Rhodey stood to get her a glass of water from the stand beside her bed and then handed it to her. “Be careful,” he added as he watched her hands shake.

She took the glass and took a dainty sip. It was as she pulled the glass away that she saw the IV in her forearm. She straightened up and threw her arm out to show him, ignoring the sway as she made the movement. “No. I don’t need this.” Of course, she didn’t! She was fine. “You can take this out, right?”

“I could, but I won’t, Pep. Don’t be ridiculous,” he spoke calmly. “You passed out, and I’m here to make sure you stay right there and take care of yourself.” He gave the bed a poke, then sat back in his chair crossing his arms and making like he had the final word.

Pepper stared at him for a second, trying to determine just how far Rhodey would take his apparently self-appointed role. She looked down at her wrist and scowled. “Rhodey, where’s my watch?”

He smiled sweetly, “I have it in my pocket, along with your wedding band, if you must know. I’m keeping it safe and sound until you’re ready to leave.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can take them back now. I’m too busy for all of this so I’m just going to—“ She sat up fully and swung her legs over the edge of the bed opposite to Rhodey while looking at the clock on the wall. 

Dammit! She’d already missed several phone calls with the United Nations and Tony would be upset if anything happened to the Parkers’ things while they were— (See items #5-9)

She made a plan on the fly. “If I leave now, I can call into my board meeting and send out a couple of emails to cover the calls that I missed out on...” 

Rhodey came around to the other side of the bed and stood directly in front of her. “Pepper,” he put a hand on her knee, pretending he could stop her from standing up and walking out the door. “You have nothing to do for the foreseeable future.” He took a really good look at his good friend. “Really, Pep? You’ve gotta stop for a sec. When’s the last time you got a really good night’s sleep?”

She pointed an accusatory finger in his face. “Don’t Rhodey! You, of all people, know what it’s like to have to clean up after Tony—and I know this isn’t his fault, I know!” Her chin quivered. “There’s just so much to do and—“

He cut her off, “And there are people who are here to help you.”

A tear trickled down her cheek. “You know I’m not wired that way,” A few more escaped. 

“Trust me. I know—and I’m pretty sure that’s why none of us understand how you ended up with that lughead in the next room.”

She smiled as she wiped away the tears, thinking of how lucky she was that he loved her, if she was being completely honest. And then she remembered. “Tony! Oh, no! I have to—I should be there and I’m here...“ Pepper weakly pushed Rhodey’s hand away so she could slide off the bed. 

“Pepper, don’t.” 

Both Pepper and Rhodey froze as Dr. Cho came into the room.

She had been on her way to update Pepper about her and Tony from the looks of all the two clipboards in her hand, but tossed them aside and rushed forward when she saw that Pepper was getting upset. “Hey, hey, Pepper. It’s okay. Everyone is okay.” She stepped in front of Pepper, effectively bumping Rhodey to the sidelines. “Pepper? Do you hear me? Tony’s fine, I promise.”

Pepper’s breathing had definitely picked up so she nodded that ‘yes’ she’d heard and Tony was fine but still... “I need to be there, Dr. Cho! I was supposed to know what—what was going on and I’m such a—“

“No.” Dr. Cho took charge of the conversation. “I’ve just left Tony and he is absolutely on the mend. Dr. Rainert thinks that healing rates are perhaps even accelerated by the nanoparticles, but that just means the wound is healing faster.” She looked Pepper in the eye. “Are you hearing what I’m saying?”

Pepper nodded.

“Good. Now,” Dr. Cho, ever the consummate professional, gently manoeuvred Pepper back into the bed as she spoke. “You, Ms. Potts are exactly where you are supposed to be.” She grabbed a fresh blanket from the end of the bed, and with a precision borne of years of practice, covered Pepper up. “You need to be taking care of yourself, too.”

Pepper pulled her arms out from under the blanket and petulantly crossed her arms in front of her.

Rhodey gave a low whistle from the wall he’d stationed himself at. “You’re not gonna make this easy on anyone, are you, Pep?”

Pepper simply glared in answer.

“Well,” Dr. Cho clapped her hands together to bring their attention to her. “I’m actually going to need to talk to Ms. Potts about some test results now so, Rhodey, if I could get you to step out into the hallway for a few minutes, I’d be most appreciative.”

The defiance changed to fear in a flash. “No! He stays! Please?” She looked at her dear friend and held out a hand for him to take. “You’ll stay, right?”

He stepped closer, grabbing ahold of her hand in both of his. “All you have to do is ask, Pep.” 

She smiled in relief and took a deep breath. “Okay.” Pepper looked at Dr. Cho. “What’s going on?”

Dr. Cho took a second to retrieve the clipboards from where they’d been discarded on the floor and then pulled up a rolling stool to the side of the bed. “Well, I think it goes without saying that after seeing you this morning, I suspected that this would be a simple case of exhaustion and sleep deprivation.” She put Tony’s clipboard aside and flipped some pages on Pepper’s chart. “But with aliens and spaceships suddenly landing in our backyard and in light of recent events,” she paused to give weight to those events, “Well, I figured more blood work would be the better bet.” She was oddly nervous and smiling strangely as she spoke up, “And I don’t normally give this type of news but, you, Pepper Potts, are pregnant.” 

It was a good thing she was already lying down.

Her mouth opened as though she were about to say something, but nothing came out. And she was going to say something, really! But then all she could think was ‘Morgan’—not her strange uncle, but their Morgan.

The silence stretched. Neither Rhodey nor Dr. Cho seemed willing to interrupt Pepper’s processing.

Eventually, Pepper did find words. “I have so much to do,” she breathed out.

“You have absolutely nothing to do for the next two weeks,” Dr. Cho contradicted her gently.

“Two weeks? But...”

“But nothing,” Dr. Cho continued. “I may not be an OB, but your blood pressure is high—really high. I have blood work that indicates some deficiencies that need to be addressed as soon as possible. To start, your iron and B12 levels are hovering dangerously close to low, which tells me that you’ve been powering through even before all of this insanity with coffee. Which brings me to,” she gestured to the IV bag. “You were dehydrated, too, so you know. It wasn’t the worst I’ve seen, but I’m guessing it’s been a particularly busy few days?”

She whispered, “Yes.”

Dr. Cho took hold of the hand closest to her. “You’re going to need to learn how to rest, Pepper.”

She shook her head ‘no’ as she worked herself up, “I can’t! Tony and---“

“And nothing. You’re good friend, Colonel Rhodes here is going to help me roll this bed next door to Tony’s room. Okay? And then we’re going to monitor your blood pressure for a bit—most likely till tomorrow.” She got up, quickly set up the blood pressure monitor beside Pepper’s bed, and wrapped the cuff around her arm. “ There. We’ll get started with that now. That way, you can keep an eye on Tony while we keep an eye on both of you. Fair?”

Pepper looked from Dr. Cho to Rhodey, “Rhodey, you know I can’t,” she pleaded with him. “I can’t just walk away from everything. You know how much there is to do!”

Dr. Cho pressed a button, and the blood pressure cuff inflated. It was moments later that an alarm starting blaring through the room. She silenced it after a few, point making moments. Dr. Cho said nothing, just gave her a knowing look.

Rhodey, however, was looking unimpressed. “You know you’re not walking away! C’mon, Pepper. You’re a smart woman who has surrounded herself with smart people! You’re gonna have to learn how to delegate, and right quick, lady, ‘cause that’s my niece or nephew in there—and I already know you’d do anything for them... and that include keeping YOU healthy.”

Weakness washed over Pepper in that moment and she sunk back into the bed as she suddenly began to cry.

Dr. Cho quietly excused herself from the room.

“Hey, now. None of that, Pep.” Rhodey wiped some tears from her cheek. “Yeah, things are rough right now, but you’ve still got Tony! And you’ve got me when he’s being an idiot...”

She managed a huff of a laugh.

“Just rest your eyes for a bit, ‘kay?”

“But—“

“No buts, Pepper. First, Tony will kick my ass if I don’t take care of you the way he would if he were up and around.” He pulled the blanket up to her chin. “And second, you cannot convince me that there is not some ‘Pepper-certified’ list to end all lists floating around in that briefcase of yours for me to work off of.”

She moved to get up, but a gentle press to her shoulder had her resting back on the pillows. 

“Trust me, Pepper. I’ve got this. It’s in your briefcase, right?”

“Yes.” She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be embarrassed or not.

Rhodey looked her in the eye. “Pepper?”

She looked up at him with trusting eyes. “Just... please?” She was suddenly so damned tired.

“Go to sleep, Pepper,” Rhodey whispered. “When you wake up, you’ll be with Tony next door and I’ll have some books and magazines ready for you to devour, so you don’t get bored, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I promise you, Pepper, it’s going to be okay in the end.”

And as she fell into slumber, she hoped and prayed for all their sakes, that he was right.

* * * * * * 

It was very early the next morning when Tony finally opened his eyes. Pepper was sitting up in the bed next to him, reading a magazine by the bar of light behind her, completely engrossed and missing out on the man awake beside her.

He sounded weak, but in true Tony fashion, the first whispered words out of his mouth were, “I know. I’d miss me, too, but you could have slept in your own bed.”

She smiled big, and slid out of her bed to be next to him. “Tony!” she whispered excitedly, “I’m so glad your awake.” She leaned over to give him a kiss and then looked up to check the door to the room.

He looked over too, wondering what he was missing, and almost asked when Pepper distracted him. “How are you feeling?” She still spoke quietly. “Do we need to call a doctor?” 

He smiled lovingly at her and raised a hand to cup her cheek. “I’m fine. Tired.” His eyes were already starting to fall again. “Pep,” his smile turned sad. “I lost Peter.”

“I know, Tony.” She caressed his cheek. 

She wasn’t even sure that he knew he’d started crying as the exhaustion pulled at him. “I don’t know how I’m...” he trailed off and sobbed. “I just don’t know if I’ll ever be happy again.”

Pepper’s heart shattered for the man she was going to marry—and then came back together for the child she now carried. “Tony, you’ll be happy again. I promise.”

He clumsily wiped at his wet cheeks, “You can’t know that,” he grumbled and tried to turn away from her.

She clasped his hand in hers and smiled. “I do know, Tony, because you gave me something that will give us both so much joy...”

He was obviously getting confused by her vaguery, so she simply leaned over and whispered into his ear. “I’m pregnant.”

He pulled back so he could look at her fully. She guessed that he didn’t quite believe her, especially after that day at the park. He must have seen something though, because he asked, “Really?”

She just nodded. “And we’re going to figure out how to be happy, both for the baby and for us... and part of figuring that out is getting our Peter back, right? We can’t be whole until little one has a big brother and a crazy Italian aunt, okay?”

He nodded emphatically, “Okay.”

A matronly looking nurse chose that moment to enter the room. “Ms. Potts, you’re not supposed to be out of bed, so let’s get you tucked back in before Dr. Cho decides to extend the BP study.” 

She seemed friendly enough so Pepper worked the distraction angle, “But look!” She pointed to Tony. “He’s awake!”

The nurse was onto her and made sure that Pepper knew it. She address Tony first, “Good morning, Mr. Stark, I’m Jody, your wife’s nurse. Is there anything that you need before I help your wife?”

He seemed to still be stuck so he just shook his head ‘no.’

“Alright,” she smiled at him. “I’m going to get your nurse to you right away.” She reached up beside his head and pressed the call button, and then she turned to Pepper, “What is this? The fourth or fifth time since my shift started?” She pointed to the bed. “

She just shrugged and made her way back to her bed. “Are we talking ones that you know about?”

Jody just smiled. “Stay put so you can get out of that bed and visit with your husband properly, okay?”

An idea came to her mind, so Pepper nodded in agreement and waited for Jody and the whirlwind of medical staff to take care of Tony and go.

When the room finally emptied and Tony was ready to drop from exhaustion, she slid out of her bed for hopefully the last time. Tony chuckled as he watched her drag a blood pressure machine from her side of the room to his bed. 

“You paid for really big med bay beds, babe. I’ve decided to come and visit,” she announced. He looked like he was going to try to shuffle over but she stopped him cold. “Don’t move. I’ll fit—for now.” And she situated herself beside Tony with ease. “There!”

If he’d been tired before, by the time Pepper had joined him in bed, he’d practically melted in contentedness. “We’ll talk about this when I’m ‘wake, right?” He asked.

“Of course, Tony.”

“And we’ll be happy ‘gain?

She smiled to herself and rested a hand on her belly. “Forever.”


End file.
